Creel assembly for textile machines



Apr.l v

CRE s' FRST 3 Filed EL ASSEMBLY 377 Aug 5, 1956 FOR TEXTILE MACHINES ,676

` 5 Sheets s heet l April 16, 1968 s. FURsT CREEL ASSEMBLY FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed Aug. 5, 196e 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 16, 196s s. FRST 3,377,676

CREEL ASSEMBLY FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed Aug. 5, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 F/G. 4a 7 April 16, 1968 s. FRST 3,377,676

CBEEL ASSEMBLY FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed Aug. 5, 19667l 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 /gb F/G. 5 wg 6 April 16, 196s s. FRST Y 3,377,676

CREEL ASSEMBLY FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed Aug. 5, 1966 l Sheets-Sheet 5 r m u Q lu l1.

United States Patent O 3,377,676 CREEL ASSEMBLY FR TEXTILE MACHINES Stefan Frst, Monchen-Giadbach, Germany, assigner to Walter Reiners, Manchen-Gladbach, Germany Filed Aug. S, 1966, Ser. No. 570,501 Claims priority, application Germany, Aug. 26, 1965, R 41,462.; Ang. 28, 1965, R 41,425 lll Claims. (Ci. 28-3l) My invention relates to a creel for beam warpers and other textile machines having in the region between the supply coils and the appertaining thread tensioner at least one thread-severing device operative during replacement of the supply coils, and at least one thread-seeking and tying device capable of perambulating or traveling along the creel between the supply coils and the thread tensioners for assembling the thread ends of new supply coils with the threads remaining in the tensioner that lead to the winding device such as a beam warper or the like. By tying device there is meant any device for joining thread ends `by knotting or any other manner, such as for example by adhesive. By thread `is meant also yarn or any similar ilexible strand.

In order to speed up the replacement of depleted supply coils in a creel assembly, for example for beam wrappers or drum warpers, it has been known to provide a threadseeking and Iknotting device, capable of traveling along the creel in the space between the supply coils and the thread tensioners, which assembles both the thread ends of new supply coils as well as the thread ends of the threads leading to the winding device and still located in the tensioners, wherein both types of thread ends are seized by two threadseeking devices, are delivered to a knotting device and are knotted to one another. Such devices could not, however, be adopted in actual practice because the thread ends, due to the special conditions of a creel, were unable to be assembled safely and without disturbing adjacent threads so that for the practical operating period the frequency of errors which occurred was too great.

It has been found that most errors occur when the threads are being inserted into the knotting device. Whereas the thread coming from the supply coil causes no difficulties, the supply of thread extending to the winding device and still present in the tensioner is bound up with considerable ditiiculties because it is not possible to effect a reverse winding of this thread extending tautly between the thread tensioner and the winding device, with respect to the adjacent threads.

lt is accordingly an object of my invention to provide a creel assembly for textile machines of the aforementioned type wherein the frequency of occurring errors is greatly reduced.

It is a further object of my invention to provide means for supplying these threads to the knotting device with safety.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a device for assembling thread ends in a creel assembly of the simplest possible, yet sturdy, construction.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, l provide in accordance with my invention a thread-seeking device comprising a rodshaped mechanical or pneumatic gripping member or both having a bent gripper end, the gripping member being pivotally mounted in the region between the readied thread end -of the supply coil and the readied thread end located in the tensioner. Instead of the heretofore employed two gripping members which were pivotable solely between the readied thread ends and the tensioner, in my invention only a single gripping member is employed which is pivotally mounted between the supply coil and the vicinity of the tensioner and, due to a bend at its gripper end, permits the readied thread end ,377,676 Patented Apr. 16, 1958 lCC of the supply coil to be transferred to the vicinity of the thread end readied in the tensioner so that both thread ends come together within the operating range of a knotter, an adhesive device or the like.

In accordance with another feature of my invention, the introduction of the thread within the operating range of the device for tying the threads is facilitated especially by the fact that the gripping member is in addition rotatable about its longitudinal axis.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention for the special conditions at a creel, the gripping member is mounted so that it is pivotable in a horizontal plane.

Both of the last-mentioned additional features of my invention in combination provide a great advantage for assembling the thread ends at a Creel.

In the previously described known device there is provided, as also with the thread-seeking device comprising the two gripping arms, a knotting device capable of traveling between the supply coils and the thread tensioners, to which both thread ends are delivered by the thread-seeking device. Also with the device constructed in accordance with the invention, the knotting device or the like is capable of traveling with the threadseeking device along the creel whereby it is possible to arrange the knotting device so that it is guided into the vicinity of the thread readied at the tensioner due to the longitudinal movement, and the thread delivered' from the gripping member is introduced into the region of the knetter. With a device according to the invention it has moreover been found to be of particular advantage if the knotting device or the like is pivotably with the pivoting motion of the gripping arm into the vicinity of the readied thread ends at the tensioner. Thereby a particularly advantageous solution is provided by securing the knotting device to the gripping member.

I also provide in accordance with a further feature of the invention, thread storage means located in the thread path in front of each thread tensioner. Basically, any known device for forming a thread stock pile can be used as the thread storage means. For use with a creel in accordance with the invention of the instant application, it is moreover especially desirable or advantageous if the thread storage means is in the form 0f a loop taker which effects loop formation because in. this manner the supply of thread present in the thread storage means can be seized particularly easily by the thread-seeking members for the purpose of feeding it to the knotting device. In addition, a supply of thread which is arranged in loop form has the advantage that the knotting device can be introduced into the vicinity of the thread which is readied in the thread storage means so that the thread need be only delivered from the supply coil to the knotter.

In order to prevent the thread which is located in the thread storage means from assuming an indefinite position after the actuation of the thread-severing device, it is advantageous in many cases, in accordance with a further feature of my invention, to provide the thread storage means with a device for readying the thread end located in the tensioner which was freed by the severing device. This device for maintaining the thread end in readiness for a subsequent operation to be performed thereon can consist of a suction nozzle, a thread clamp or an adhesive device, for example.

With the known device, severance of the thread takes place between the supply coil that is to be replaced and the thread tensioner by means of a severing device capable of traveling with the thread-seeking and knotting device along the creel. It has the disadvantage that the thrcad-seeking and knotting device must be operated twice along the creel and, in fact, first for severing the threads and, after the replacement of the supply coils, once again for assembling the free thread ends.

-means have a severing device -which is actuated when the coils that are to be replaced are removed.

In accordance with yet another aspect of my invention, the supply coils are located on a creel carriage which can be driven out of the creel assembly together with all of the supply coils thereon. lf the severing device provided at the thread storage means consists, for example, of a cutting edge over which the thread leading to the supply coil that is to be replaced passes when the creel ycarriage is driven out of the creel assembly, this thread is then automatically severed, without requiring the actuation of any further mechanical means, when the supply coil that is to be replaced is removed from the creel assembly.

Other features which are considered as characteristic -for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.

Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in creel assembly for textile machines, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.

The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a portion of a creel assembly showing in the interest of clarity only one supply coil station at which the device for assembling the thread ends in accordance with my invention is actuable;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of FIG. l showing an adjacent supply coil station at which the device for assembling the thread ends according to my invention is subsequently actuable;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of a creel assembly showing a tip end view of the supply coils and traveling carriage;

FIGS. 4a to 4f are schematic side elevational views of a supply coil station corresponding substantially to the view of FIG. 1 and showing, respectively, six different stages of the supply coil replacing operation;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational View of a supply coil station of another embodiment of a creel assembly constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are top plan views of FIG. 5 with certain portions deleted for clarity and showing two dierent phases of the severing operation; and

FIG. 8 is a function diagram of the operation of the creel assembly constructed in accordance with my invention.

In both FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown the supply coil l mounted on a journalling pin 2 which is secured to a vertical post 3 of the creel. The thread end of the supply coil 1 is readied at a brush 4 when the coil is stuck onto the pin 2 so that it extends from the lower portion of the coil, as clearly shown in the figures, it being unnecessary for the thread to be drawn from the lowermost position of the Coil l. Opposite the pin 2, a thread tensioner is secured to another vertical rod 6 of the creel assembly. In FIG. 2 the corresponding components of the adjacent supply coil station are identied by the same reference numerals with the added index a.

The thread-seeking device comprises a rod-shaped seizing or gripping member 7 which is bent like a hook at its gripper end 8. A vertical tube 9 serves as a support for the gripping member 7 and is provided with an arm 10 rigidly secured thereto which carries a sleeve 1l at: its free end. The tube 9 is rotatable about its axis so that the gripping member 7 with the aid of the arm 13 secured to the arm I@ or the tube 9 can be pivoted in a horizontal plane in the region between the readied thread end a of the supply coil 1 and the readied thread end b in the tensioner 5.

In order to be able to ready the seized thread end tz of the supply coil 1 in a particularly simple manner, the gripping member '7 is rotatable about its longitudinal axis both in the sleeve 11 as well as in the bore I2 of the tube 9. To rotate the gripping member 7, a pinion l5 is secured thereto in which a rack 16 meshes. To improve the clarity of the operation of the device constructed in accordance with my invention, the mounting of the gripping member 7 in FIG. l is not shown in detail, however it is shown in greater detail in FIG. 2.

A device for readying the thread ends a and b is moreover secured to the thread tensioner 5. This readying device comprises a substantially horizontal plate 17 with a mainly vertical slot t8 through which a plunger or tappet 19 is guided in the direction of the arrow 19a of FIG. 1. In addition, thread insertion members 29 are secured to the plate I7.

For assembling both thread ends a and b, the thread end b, which was originally tied with the replaced supply coil, is rst guided through the slot 1S by the plunger 19 and reaches thus the vicinity of a suction nozzle 21 which holds this thread end rrnly. Instead of the suction nozzle 21, a mechanical clamping device, an adhesive device or the like can be provided. The gripping member seizes with its gripper end 8 the readied thread end a of the supply coil 1 when it is in the extended solid-line position 7 and is transferred to the dot-dash or phantom position 7 by means of the pivoting lever extension i3, Whereby the gripper end 8 assumes the position 8. Then the gripping member is rotated about its longitudinal axis 14 by means of the toothed rod or rack I6 and the gear 15 until the gripper end 8 assumes the position 8" of FIG. 1. For clarity there is moreover shown in FIG. 2 a view of this rotary motion of the gripping member, wherein the gripper end 8 has not yet reached the iinal position of FIG. l. With this rotation of the gripper member 7 the thread a located at the gripper end 8 is drawn into the recess 18 by means of the thread insertion member 20 and placed parallel to the readied thread end b so that it then assumes the dot-dash position and can be tied with the thread end b.

The entire device for assembling the thread ends a and b can be mounted for traveling between the supply coil 1 and the tensioner 5 along the creel, whereby it is advantageous for each level of coils in the creel to be provided with a separate device for assembling the thread ends so that at the same instant supply coils located above one another can be tied with the appertaining thread ends located in the tensioners. In this device which drives the gripping member along the creel, there can also be provided at each level of the coils, a knotting device which with the longitudinal movement penetrates into the vicinity of the thread ends a and b readied by the recess 19, and ties these thread ends to one another. An especially sure seizure of the readied thread ends a and b by the knotting device is moreover attainable when, in accordance with another feature of my invention, this knotting device is pivotable with the pivoting movement of the gripping mem-ber 7 in the vicinity of the readied thread ends, whereby the knotting device can be advantageously secured to the gripping member.

In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. l and 2 there is shown one possibility for attachment of the knotting device to the gripping member whereby the knotting device 22 is secured to the sleeve 11 of the arm 10. It is clearly seen that the knotting device 22., after the gripping member '7 has pivoted to the location 7', assumes the position 22 in which -both readied thread ends a and b can be gripped and knotted together by the tying members of the knotting device 22. For actuating the tying members there is provided a rod 34 which is moved through the double lever 33 by the rod 32.

FIG. 3 schematically shows a possible form of creel assembly in accordance with the invention and provides a tip end view of the supply coils mounted thereon. In the interest of maintaining clarity, the tensioners, which would normally be located in front of the plane of the drawing, have been omitted. Between the supply coils 1 and the non-illustrated tensioners there is located the device for assembling the thread ends Iby means of a carriage 23 capable of traveling along the creel in the direction of the arrow 23a, that is backwards from that vertical row of coils which is located closest to the winding device such as a lbeam warper (not shown). The carriage 23 carries the pivotable tube 9, on which there is mounted a gripping member 7 with a knotting device for each level of the supply coils on the creel. A suction device connected to the tube 9 serves to produce the suction air tiow for the pneumatically operated gripping members 7. A motor 25 is provided for the automatic stepwise longitudinal movement of the carriage 23, and a motor 26 is provided for controlling the individual movements. The motor 26 for example rotates a shaft 27 which is provided with various cam discs. One of these cam discs acts conventionally through the pivot lever 28 and the rod 29 on the pivot lever extension 13 and produces the pivoting of the gripping member 7 about the axis of the tube 9. Another cam disc also acts conventionally through the lever arm 30 on the toothed rack 16 and effects turning of the gripping member 7 about its longitudinal axis 14. An additional cam disc conventionally acts through the lever 31 and the rod 32 on the knotter 22 in order to carry out the movements of this knotter that are necessary for tying the thread ends together, for example the movements of the tying Ibealcs of the knotter.

Referring to FIGS. 4a to 4f, there is clearly shown the principle upon which the invention of this application is based. These figures are schematic side views of a supply coil station on a creel constructed in accordance with my invention and show six different stages of the supply coil exchanging or replacing operation. A supply coil 1 is shown mounted on a journalling pin or mandrel 2 that is secured to a substantially vertical post 3 (FIG. 5) of the creel. The thread F of the supply coil 1 extends through the tensioner 5 to a winding device, such as a -beam Warper or drum warping machine. In the thread path in front of the thread tensioner S there is located a thread storage means 19 in the form of a loop taker.

If the generally nearly unwound supply coils 1 of the creel are to be replaced by new supply coils, after the -warper or other textile machine is stopped, the thread storage means is initially actuated so that in accordance 4 with the phase shown in FIG. 4b a thread loop 38 is formed which extends to within the effective range of a suction nozzle 21 which serves as readying device. Thereafter, the thread extending to the supply coil 1 is severed and the free thread end b suspended in the thread tensioner is readied by the suction nozzle 21 as indicated in the phase shown in FIG. 4c.

The phase illustrated by FIG. 4d occurs at the instant that new supply coils are inserted in the creel. When the new supply coil 1a is mounted on the pin 2, the thread end a of the supply coil is readied at the supply coil and, in fact, in the illustrated phase of FIG. 4d in such a manner that this thread end a is inserted in a brush 4 located in front of the pin 2. Thereby, a yarn-seeking device 7 of the type, for example, described in my copending application, Ser. No. 57,641, entitled Device for Increasing the Speed of Coil Replacement in a Creel Assembly, filed Aug. S, 1966, is then able to seize the readied thread end a especially easily and transfer it to the vicinity of the thread end b which is to be knotted therewith and which is readied in the suction nozzle 21, so that both thread ends can be knotted to one another by means of a kuotting device 22 in accordance with the phase shown in FIG.

t3 4e. FIG. 4f shows how the thread ends a and b are drawn out of the loop taker when the winding device is started up.

The severance of the thread in the phase shown in FIG. 4c can, as aforedescribed, be carried out by providing the thread-seeking and knotting device with a severing device which severs the threads `between the thread tensioner 5 and the old depleted supply coil 1 d-uring the longitudinal movement of the thread-seeking and knotting device. With a creel constructed in accordance with my invention, a marked simplification is however afforded if, in accordance with a further feature of my invention, each thread storage means is provided with a severing device that becomes actuated when the supply coil which is to he replaced is removed from the creel. The embodiment of a severing device having a stationary location in the vicinity of the `thread storage means and being advantageously connected with the thread storage means is described hereinafter with respect to FIGS. 5 to 7.

FIG. 5 shows a side view of a supply coi-l station similar to the views of FIGS. Lirl-4f whereas FIGS. 6l and 7 show a top plan view of the same supply coil station wherein two different phases of the severing operation are shown.

In FIGS. 5 to 7 there are again shown the supply coil 1 which is mounted on the journalling pin 2 which is secured to a vertical post 3 of the creel.. Opposite the pin 2, the thread tensioner 5 is secured to a vertically extending tube 6 of the creel, a construction shown in my aforementioned copending application Device for Increasing the Speed of Coil Replacement in a Creel Assembly, filed Aug. 5, 1966.

The thread storage means comprises a plate 17 substantially horizontally disposed and provided with a mainly vertical slot 18 through which a plunger 19 is downwardly guided. This plunger 19 can be slidably mounted in sleeves 19a and 19h secured to the tube 6 when the swivel lever 25 is actuated yby a pull rod represented by the arrow 23'. The plunger 19 is provided with a pin slidable in a slot formed in the lever 25 which cooperate to provide a conventional pin and slot mechanism.

Thread insertion members Ztl are furthermore also provided on the plate 17 for facilitating the insertion of the thread end of a new supply coil in the phase shown in FIG. 4e.

It the supply coils ll of a creel must be replaced, the plunger 19 must first he moved downwardly by the action of the pull rod 23. This plunger seizes the thread F eX- Vtending above the plate 17 and the slot 18 and guides it downwardly through the slot 13 in the form of a loop 38, as can be clearly seen in FIG. 5. The loop 8 of thread is consequently placed in front of a suction nozzle 21 which, in this case, serves as a device for readying the thread end.

When the supply coil 1 is being replaced, a relative motion thereof with respect to the plate 17 is executed. In the illustrated embodiment it is assumed that the supply coils 1 are mounted on vertical posts 3 secured toa creel carriage 4t) having wheels 41, as shown in FIG. 5, which is driven out of:` the creel assembly in the direction ofthe arrow 3a (FIG. 6). In FIG. 6, this movement of the creel carriage is shown as just having begun, while in FIG. 7 it is shown at a later instant. It is noted that with this relative motion, the thread F gradually reaches the vicinity of the severing device `that is connected with the thread supply means and which, in the instant case, consists of a cutting edge 24 attached to the plate 17. In FIG. 7, the relative motion of the supply coil 1 with respect to the plate 17 has progressed so far that the thread F is severed at the cutting edge 24. Thus the freely hanging end of the loop 8 in 4the thread tensioner 5 is taken up `bythe suction nozzle 21 so that the thread in accordance with the various phases illustrated in FIGS. 4a to 4f is readied for being knotted together with the thread end of a new supply coil.

In FIG. 8 there is shown a function diagram of the operation of the creel assembly of my invention. In this diagram, the line A indicates the motion of the plunger 19, the line B the motion of the creel carriage 4t), the line C the motion of the knotter carriage 23, the line D the motion of the sleeve 11 i.e. the pivoting movement of the arm 7 about the shaft 9, the line E the rotary motion of the arm 7 :about its axis I4, and the line F the actuation of the knotter 22.

The diagram of FIG. 8 commences at the instant in which according to FIGS. 4a to 4f, the supply coil replacement operation occurs. Initially, the plunger 19 is displaced downwardly. Then the creel carriage is driven out of the creel assembly. This carriage-driving motion ends at the instant I. Thereafter, the plunger 19 again moves upwardly and remains in this original starting position.

At the instant II there is begun the motion of driving the creel carriage bedecked with fully wound supply coils into the creel assembly. Directly thereafter the knotter carriage is driven into the creel according to line C. At the instan-t III, the knotter carriage is driven out above the coil row of the Creel which is located nearest to the winding device such as a beam warper. Then the arm 7 with the sleeve 11 is moved from the dot-dash or phantom location 7 in FIG. 2 to the extended solid-line location 7 which is reached at the instant IV. Then at the instant V, the knotter carriage is driven back so far that the extended solid-line location 7 thereof to the first supply coil row of the creel, as shown in FIG. 2, is reached. The arm 7 with the sleeve Il can then swing back `from the extended solid-line location 7 to the dot-dash or phantom position 7. This movement ends at the instant VI. The arm 7 begins to swing about its axis immediately thereafter so that the seizing or gripping end S moves from the position 8 to the position 3" as shown in FIG. l. This position is maintained during the interval between the instants VII yand VIII wherein the knotter is simultaneously actuated and both thread ends are tied to one another. Afterwards, the arm 7 rotates the gripper end 8 about its axis 14 back out of the position 8" into thel position 8' (line E) and nally swings out of the position 7 into the extended solid-line position 7 according to the line D. This instant IX corresponds to the instant IV. The knotter carriage can then be further driven about a creel division in accordance with line C and the working cycle is begun anew and is repeated until the knotter 22 has also tied the threads of the last vertical coil row of the creel together at the instant X. In the diagram of FIG. 8, nine vertical rows of coils are assumed to be in the creel corresponding to FIG. 3, however the actual number of rows can of course be increased or reduced as desired.

When the knotting operation is ended at the instant X, the arm 7 still rotates about its axis 14 in such a way that the gripper end y8 is transferred from the position 8" to the position 8 according to line E. Thereafter, the knotter carriage travels according to line C completely out of the creel assembly back to its original position. The supply coil unwinding operation is then carried out until a new supply coil replacement is required and therewith the movements corresponding to the beginning of the diagram of FIG. 8 are started anew.

I claim:

1. Creel assembly for textile machines comprising a multilevel creel for supply coils and a corresponding row of thread tensioning devices spaced from said creel for tensioning thread extending from the supply coils along respective thread paths to a textile machine, thread storage means located in said thread paths in front of each of said thread tensioning devices, at least one thread severing device operable, during replacement of the depleted supply coils of said creel, in the region intermediate the supply coils and said thread tensioning devices for severing the thread ends of depleted supply coils so that the severed ends of the thread extending to the textile machine are retained by said thread tensioning devices, and assembling means for assembling the thread ends of replacement supply coils with the thread ends of the depleted supply coils retained in said tensioning devices, said assembling means being capable of traveling along said creel between the supply coils and said thread tensioning devices.

2. Creel assembly according to claim 1 wherein said thread storage means comprises a device for taking loops in the thread.

3. Creel assembly according to claim 1 wherein said thread storage means cooperates with a device for readying the thread end severed by said thread severing device and retained in said thread tensioning device.

4. Creel assembly according to claim 1 wherein each of said thread storage means is provided with a thread severing device actuable upon removal of the depleted coils.

5. Creel assembly according to claim 1 wherein said thread assembling means comprises a threadseeking and knotting device for seeking out thread ends of the replacement coils and corresponding severed thread ends retained lby said thread tensioning devices and knotting said thread ends together respectively.

6. ln a creel assembly wherein the thread ends of creelmounted depleted supply coils extending through thread tensioning devices to a textile machine are severed so that the severed thread ends extending to the textile machine are retained by the thread tensioning devices, a device for assembling starting threads of replacement supply coils with the thread ends of the depleted supply coils retained in the thread tensioning devices comprising at least one yarn-seeking and tying device capable of traveling along the creel between the supply coils and the thread tensioning devices and including a rodshaped gripping member having a bent gripper end, said gripping member -being pivotably mounted in the region between a starting thread of a replacement supply coil and a thread end retained in the thread tensioning device.

7. Creel assembly according to claim 5 wherein said gripping member is mounted in addition for rotation about its longitudinal axis.

8. Creel assembly according to claim 6 wherein said gripping member is mounted so that it is pivotable in a horizontal plane.

9. Creel assembly according to claim 8 wherein said tying device is pivotable with the pivoting movement of said gripping member within the vicinity of the thread end retained by said thread tensioning device.

10. Creel assembly according to claim 9 wherein said tying device is secured to said gripping member.

1l. Creel assembly according to claim 6 wherein the starting thread of the replacement supply coil is readied, and including means for readying the thread end retained in the thread tensioning device.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,198,446 8/1965 Furst et al. 242-35.6 3,295,775 1/1967 Raasch et al 242-355 3,335,476 8/1967 Pitts et al 242-356 X LOUIS K. RIMRODT, Primary Examiner. 

1. CREEL ASSEMBLY FOR TEXTILE MACHINES COMPRISING A MULTILEVEL CREEL FOR SUPPLY COILS AND A CORRESPONDING ROW OF THREAD TENSIONING DEVICES SPACED FROM SAID CREEL FOR TENSIONING THREAD EXTENDING FROM THE SUPPLY COILS ALONG RESPECTIVE THREAD PATHS TO A TEXTILE MACHINE, THREAD STORAGE MEANS LOCATED IN SAID THREAD PATHS IN FRONT OF EACH OF SAID THREAD TENSIONING DEVICES, AT LEAST ONE THREAD SEVERING DEVICE OPERABLE, DURING REPLACEMENT OF THE DEPLETED SUPPLY COILS OF SAID CREEL, IN THE REGION INTERMEDIATE THE SUPPLY COILS AND SAID THREAD TENSIONING DEVICES FOR SEVERING THE THREAD TENSIONING DECOILS SO THAT THE SEVERED ENDS OF THE THREAD EXTENDING TO THE TEXTILE MACHINE ARE RETAINED BY SAID THREAD TENSIONING DEVICES, AND ASSEMBLING MEANS FOR ASSEMBLING THE THREAD ENDS OF REPLACEMENT SUPPLY COILS WITH THE THREAD ENDS OF THE DEPLETED SUPPLY COILS RETAINED IN SAID TENSIONING DEVICES, SAID ASSEMBLING MEANS BEING CAPABLE OF TRAVELING ALONG SAID CREEL BETWEEN THE SUPPLY COILS AND SAID THREAD TENSIONING DEVICES. 